


Gum

by whoisthekingofnewyork



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Soulmate AU, food soulmate au, like hints of it, mentions of illness, minor javid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-29
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-06-18 05:42:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15478878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whoisthekingofnewyork/pseuds/whoisthekingofnewyork
Summary: Race had an addiction to chewing gum and it drove Albert insane until they figured it out.It's pretty much your standard soulmate au (second chapter is the angst ending)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my tumblr @who-is-the-king-of-new-york

“More gum? Really Al?” Romeo questioned, watching Albert put five packets of gum into the cart. “What is it with you and gum lately?”

“It’s easier to ignore things.” He shrugged, knowing that Romeo would understand what he was referencing.

For the last six months, his soulmate had chewed gum every hour of every day except when eating or sleeping. He didn’t understand why they would be doing that, he didn’t eat that much so there was nothing to cover up. A trick that many people had taken to hide the cravings they felt when their soulmate was eating was to chew gum when they were but Albert’s soulmate had taken it to the next level. Either they didn’t want to acknowledge the fact that they had a soulmate or they really loved gum. Gum normally didn’t cause the other to crave it but if chewed for long periods of time your partner will start to crave the familiar minty taste. It’s not technically consumed to cravings don’t occur until the partner chews it for three or more hours, longer than the length of the average meal time. To say Albert was concerned was an understatement, did his soulmate really not like his food preferences or did he have an unnatural obsession with gum? Neither a particularly good quality to have.

“We have to get Jack a gift while we’re here and because Jack already has Davey I don’t think he needs four packets of gum.” Romeo rolled his eyes, snapping Albert out of his train of thought.

“Just get him a pair of headphones, he always breaks his.” Albert shrugged, remembering the text he got from Jack last night complaining about his headphones breaking the day before his birthday. 

He didn’t know why his friends were like this, constantly breaking things. He once had to drive Smalls down to the hospital at one in the morning because she had broken her leg and her mother’s antique vase in one fall. Her mother was too busy crying over the vase to take her to the hospital so it was lucky that Albert was still awake and they lived in the same building. Smalls had yet to find her soulmate, constantly having this craving for chocolate to the point where she was almost certain that her soulmate would have some form of illness to do with their blood glucose or insulin levels. Of course, Albert also talked her out of chewing gum all the time, explaining how annoying it was for him to crave gum between the hours of 12pm and 4am. On the days that it started earlier, he would purposely have the biggest and best breakfast that he could just so he could get that little bit of revenge on his soulmate. Although, this didn’t really work because they then started a breakfast battle each time they were up early, trying to outdo the breakfast the other had made the time before. It was childish and they knew that.

Jack’s birthday lunch came around sooner than expected, even though it still involved an hour in the car. By the time they got there, Albert no longer needed the gum, his soulmate having stopped chewing it about 45 minutes into the drive giving Albert the sweet taste of freedom as he waited for the craving of what he would ultimately have to choose for his lunch. Knowing his soulmates usual option it would be pizza, just a simple pizza. It had gotten to the point where he could tell the difference between the pizza brands because his soulmate had it every lunchtime. Although, the craving never came. He ordered his usual chicken wings while everyone else ordered something that Albert really wasn’t paying attention to. 

When their food arrived, so did the craving for pizza. He let out a small groan, drawing the attention of the table. 

“Sorry, My soulmate just started eating a food that isn’t what I ordered yet again, probably should’ve expected it would be pizza.” He sighed, returning to eating his chicken, trying to block out the craving once more. “I guess it’s better than gum.” Race froze at the other end of the table, slowly putting his pizza slice down and eating one of the fries off of Davey’s plate, watching Albert’s face scrunch in confusion. 

“Hey, Albert. Are you craving fries by any chance right now?” Race felt the craving of chicken that he felt subside as Albert put his food back down on the plate. 

“Yeah, why?” Albert looked at him slightly confused before realisation flashed across his features. “You’re my soulmate aren’t you? You’re craving chicken.” 

“That I am, I’m also the one that had the double chocolate fudge sundae for breakfast yesterday.” Race grinned.

Davey started to scold Race before Jack shut him up, a glare being given to him by many at the table saying not to ruin the moment. 

Albert was happy for a brief moment, going up to the boy he hardly knew at that point and kissing him softly. He could feel the love that Race put into the kiss as his hands connected to the back of the blonde’s neck. He felt his cravings drifting away and he was left relaxed for the first time in his living. He didn’t have to worry about gum anymore, suddenly regretting buying so much that morning. He was preparing for the week, considering how much he could get through with Race constantly chewing it. The moment of peace didn’t last long, the entire table erupting in applause, gaining the attention of the other customers who joined in once they realised what was happening. 

Everyone went silent when Albert flicked Race on the forehead and hard. 

“That is for making me crave gum every single day for the last six months.” 

That was the best moment of Albert’s life. The day he met his soulmate. He loved looking back on that day, the day everything was well. The pair spent a year together, bonding over the breakfasts that they had mastered over the years of making each other jealous of the breakfast that they had just had. Other days they would order a pizza, but most days were spent trying to wean Race off of the gum he always carried. The habit was never really broken, he always had a packet on him and so did Albert. They didn’t chew it as often but they always had it. It became a coping mechanism for the two of them. 

Every time Albert would visit the hospital, he would be chewing gum. It was something that he used to feel connected to his partner again as he laid still in the hospital bed. He didn’t move, his eyes didn’t open. The only sounds in the room were the machines, the doctors and his visitors. The visitors were never there for long, they couldn’t watch their once lively friend deteriorate in front of their eyes. He wasn’t on life support and he didn’t want to be. He did talk, but not often, his voice often coming out hoarse and he hated it so he opted not to talk. He hardly ate anymore so the shared cravings stopped only staying for a few months in between the ‘honeymoon’ period and the arrival of his illness. 

The cravings stopped, his heart stopped seconds before Albert arrived for his daily visit.


	2. Chapter 2

That was the best moment of Albert’s life. The day he met his soulmate. He loved looking back on that day, the day everything was well. The pair spent a year together, bonding over the breakfasts that they had mastered over the years of making each other jealous of the breakfast that they had just had. Other days they would order a pizza, but most days were spent trying to wean Race off of the gum he always carried. The habit was never really broken, he always had a packet on him and so did Albert. They didn’t chew it as often but they always had it. It became a coping mechanism for the two of them. 

Every time Albert would visit the hospital, he would be chewing gum. It was something that he used to feel connected to his partner again as he laid still in the hospital bed. He didn’t move, his eyes didn’t open. The only sounds in the room were the machines, the doctors and his visitors. The visitors were never there for long, they couldn’t watch their once lively friend deteriorate in front of their eyes. He wasn’t on life support and he didn’t want to be. He did talk, but not often, his voice often coming out hoarse and he hated it so he opted not to talk. He hardly ate anymore so the shared cravings stopped only staying for a few months in between the ‘honeymoon’ period and the arrival of his illness. 

The cravings stopped, his heart stopped seconds before Albert arrived for his daily visit.


End file.
